Page 99 of Bridesmaid Undercover
“Well, if it’s any consolation, I think you’ve turned out pretty great, Hardy.” I walk up to him and press my hand to his arm. “You’re nothing like him. From what I know about your father and what I know about you, I’d say that the apple has fallen very fall from the tree.”
He stiffens and looks at me, a crease in his brow.
Uh, not the reaction I would have expected from him.
“Did I…did I say something wrong?” I ask in a worried tone.
“No, it’s just…well, fuck.” He threads his fingers through his hair. “My dad used the same phrase with me today, but with a completely opposite intent. He told me that I was exactly like him, pushing aside what’s important in favor of success.”
My brow furrows. “That’s not you at all,” I say. “If anything, you’re the complete opposite. Trust me, your dad would not have stayed all night to help me with decorations. He wouldn’t have offered to chat with me about random things. He definitely wouldn’t be a fan of Whitney Houston.”
He chuckles. “No, no, he wouldn’t.”
“You are not like him, Hardy, and I think the more you try to tell yourself that over and over, the better off you’ll be. I know it’s probably hard to shake off whatever he said to you today, but just remember, you’re a good guy who cares about others. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t have a business with your brother that has helped many people already.”
“Yeah.” He moves his hand over his beard. “Think it’s just going to take some time to get that through my head.”
“Then it takes time,” I say. “And that’s okay. Greatness doesn’t happen overnight.” Trying to lighten the mood, I say, “Do you think I just woke up like this? All perfect and amazing and creating well-structured centerpieces that are functional and whimsical at the same time? No, I had to work at it.”
He chuckles and then to my surprise, he wraps his arm around me and pulls me into a hug.
Yes. Please.
Now if only this meant so much more. If only it was the start of something romantic.
If only…
But I think at this point, we all know where I stand with him, fully in the friend zone. But it doesn’t stop me from taking full advantage of the embrace. So I loop my arms around his torso, tell myself not to bury my head in his chest, and instead just casually hug him back. “Thank you, Everly. I really appreciate it. I appreciate you. I appreciate tonight. It was just what I needed.”
“Of course,” I say as he lets go of me far too soon.
He lets out a deep sigh. “Want me to help you move these vases somewhere?”
“Oh, no, that’s okay. I’m going to move them over to the venue with Maggie tomorrow, so let’s just leave them here.”
“Not a problem. Do you need help tomorrow?”
“Nope, but we’ll need you to help the day after, an hour before the party.”
“You know I’m there,” he says as he grabs his suit jacket and slips his arms through the holes. “Think I should wear pink to go along with the theme?”
“I’d prefer you wear a pink suit with a pink flamingo hat. I think that will have the biggest impact on the party.”
“Don’t joke, because you know I will.”
“I dare you,” I say as we head toward the front of the store.
“Oh…it’s on. Just you wait, Plum. I’m going to be quite the vision in pink.”
“For some reason, I totally believe it.”
Chapter Fifteen
HARDY
“You did not wear that suit,” Everly says as I walk into the venue wearing a flamingo-pink suit that took me all day yesterday to find.
Did I work much? No.
